DeKALB | After morning announcements Wednesday, DeKalb public school students experienced a new addition to their morning routine.

Students were asked to take a moment of silence for personal reflection before they began their day. This new practice came as a result of a lifted federal injunction on the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act that was passed by the state in October 2007.

“The principles are asking the students to reflect as a person, on whatever that may be,” said District 428 Superintendent Jim Briscoe.

When the law was passed in 2007, a lawsuit was filed shortly afterwards stating that the new law was unconstitutional because it was bringing religion into the public school setting. The state suspended the observance of the moment of silence until there was a ruling on the matter.

“I’m not a lawyer or a judge but I don’t understand how a moment of silence is related to religion,” said District 428 School Board President Mike Verbic. “An individual has a right to feel the way they do about a moment of silence.”

On Oct. 1, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled that the law is constitutional because it does not specify prayer and has a practical purpose of settling down students. The court then issued a mandate on Dec. 30, to U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman to lift the injunction against the moment of silence.

The law states, “In each public school classroom the teacher in charge shall observe a brief period of silence with the participation of all the pupils therein assembled at the opening of every school day. This period shall not be conducted as a religious exercise but shall be an opportunity for silent prayer or for silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day.”

Even though this law was ruled constitutional, some disagree.

“The word ‘prayer’ is in the title, and the law requires time be set aside for prayer, thus being a state endorsement of religion,” said Bryan Halco, treasurer for the NIU Atheists, Agnostics and Freethinkers. “This violates separation of church and state, and is therefore unconstitutional. Prayer in schools is perfectly fine, so long as it is not officially endorsed by the school. Deliberately setting aside time for prayer is an official endorsement, and a violation of the establishment clause. While prayer should not be hindered in schools, it should not be helped either.”

School districts are allowed to implement the moment of silence using whatever time limits they deem sufficient. In DeKalb School District 428, Briscoe said that the moment of silence will probably take place after morning announcements and last anywhere between 15 to 30 seconds. 

As of Friday afternoon, there had been no comments or complaints brought to the attention of the superintendent or the school board president in regards to the moment of silence.